Jets blow another fourth-quarter lead

Oct 24, 2017 - 12:37 AM FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets are firmly entrenched in NFL purgatory: too good to tank, but not good enough to be a genuine postseason threat.

So just enjoy the ride, Jets fans.

Yes, Sunday's 31-28 loss in Miami had to sting, especially following a loss to the Patriots. Losing two games in a row to your most bitter rivals after holding 14-point leads in each hurts. But try to put some perspective on this season.

With their next win, the Jets will have already exceeded the total Las Vegas bookmakers set for them before the season. And for those of you who thought a top-two pick was in play, just watch the Browns and the 49ers play and you'll realize that was never going to happen. Heck, look at all the ways the Jets' roommates, the Giants, are losing games this season.

"We're gonna have ups and downs, and, unfortunately, we have a down part right now," wide receiver Jermaine Kearse said after Sunday's game. "So we've just got to continue to stick together."

As head coach Todd Bowles put it: "Morale is good, team is good, the losses are frustrating."

Squandering a fourth-quarter lead the way the Jets did Sunday is nearly impossible. When Jeremy Kerley caught a punt on his own 17-yard line with 14:54 to play and the Jets leading 28-14, ESPN's win probability calculator gave New York a 95.5 percent chance to improve to 4-3.

From that moment, the Jets ran 13 plays and lost 22 yards. The Dolphins ran 21 and gained 127 yards, and more important, outscored the Jets, 17-0.

The Patriots, Bills and, obviously, the Dolphins all won on Sunday, leaving the Jets alone in last place at 3-4, with a 1-3 division record. The Jets' nine remaining opponents have a combined 38-25 record, so while a playoff push isn't impossible, it's highly improbable.

And for all the fans who believe the quarterback savior cometh in next year's draft, remember that USC's Sam Darnold has 10 interceptions in eight games, UCLA's Josh Rosen threw eight picks in a four-game stretch and Wyoming's Josh Allen has a 4-3 record with wins over Gardner-Webb, Hawaii, Texas State and Utah State.

For now, marvel at Josh McCown's career renaissance at age 38, and don't worry about his interception inside his own territory with 39 seconds left in a tie game. He's not Tom Brady, after all.

Giggle at Robby Anderson's touchdown celebrations, but try to laugh off his petulance as he throws his helmet down and gets an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when the Jets would have already needed a miracle to even tie the game.

Be grateful Bowles is a coach players want to play hard for and someone who has created a cohesive locker-room environment, but don't get caught up in his team leading the league with 546 penalty yards.

"There's a lot of resolve within this team," McCown said after Sunday's game. "We fully expect to bounce back."

But bounce back to what level? At minimum, it's going to take six wins in the final nine games to have a shot at the playoffs. Four of the Jets' next five games are at home, with the bye week also coming in that stretch. But three of their last four are on the road, with trips to Denver, New Orleans and New England, all difficult places to win.

The Jets are 1-3 on the road, with the only win coming against the winless Browns in Cleveland.

"No different than last week, it was a tough one," Bowles said. "We had an opportunity to win a division ballgame on the road, which we've got to start winning on the road if we wanna go somewhere."

Otherwise, it's more time in purgatory for these Jets.

--When you lose a game you were winning by 14 points in the fourth quarter on Sunday, there's always plenty of contrition on Monday.

Said quarterback Josh McCown of his interception that gave the Dolphins the ball on the Jets' 27-yard line with 39 seconds left in a tie game, essentially gift-wrapping Miami a win: "Just a bad feeling. ... I hate it for our team in that moment. I hate it for everybody because we all wanted to win."

The always optimistic 38-year-old added, "It's something I'll learn from and move on. I want to be better in that situation. I plan to be better in that situation."

Wide receiver Robby Anderson took off his helmet and flung it toward the sideline on the second-to-last play of the game, something he was "very apologetic" for on Monday, wide receivers coach Karl Dorrell told ESPN.

Said head coach Todd Bowles about Anderson's penalty on Monday's conference call after declining to comment on it after the game: "We don't condone anything like that. We don't tolerate anything like that, and it won't happen again."

Bowles said the 24-year-old has to "find a better way to handle his frustration, and he will," adding that he talked to Anderson about the incident on Monday.

Also, cornerback Buster Skrine, who picked off Tom Brady last week, had three of the team's 12 penalties (two for holding and a 28-yard pass interference on third-and-8), all coming on Miami touchdown drives. He also botched the coverage on the Dolphins' first touchdown pass and was guarding Kenny Stills on both his touchdown catches.

"It wasn't his finest day," Bowles said Monday of Skrine, adding that he won't bench the seven-year veteran.

It wasn't the Jets' finest day, either, as they blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead for the first time since 1995.

Said Bowles: "We have a 24-hour rule in this building. Win, lose or draw, we come back in, watch the film, correct it and then we move onto the next opponent."

Bring on the 3-3 Falcons.

--The Jets' fourth-quarter struggles continued Sunday, as they've been outscored 67-17 in the final period this season.

Four weeks ago, they blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to the Jaguars but won in overtime. Against the Dolphins, they weren't as fortunate.

"We've got to have more poise under pressure," head coach Todd Bowles said Monday. "I didn't (think the team got complacent), we just didn't make enough plays at the end of the game."

The Falcons, the Jets' next opponent, lost a 17-point halftime lead to the Dolphins two weeks ago. Atlanta is 3-3 following last year's Super Bowl appearance, when it famously blew a 28-3 third-quarter lead.

"We try not to worry about what the opponent's going through," Bowles said. "We try to correct our mistakes and move on from there."

One thing Bowles wouldn't classify as a mistake on Monday was letting Josh McCown pass from his own 15-yard line with 47 seconds left and the Jets holding all three timeouts, despite McCown's interception.

When asked why he didn't run a "safe play" like a draw or a screen in that situation, Bowles said: "It would look no different if we ran the ball and somebody fumbled. You get a turnover, you get a turnover. When there's ... 50 seconds left and you need three points, and you got three timeouts in a tie ball game, you go for the win. ... We don't feel any regrets about calling the plays."

NOTES: RT Brandon Shell (neck) left Sunday's game in the first quarter and was replaced by Brent Qvale. Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday he is still getting some tests done and his status will be updated after Wednesday's practice. ... CB Xavier Coleman (shoulder) left Sunday's game in the third quarter. Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday he is still getting some tests done and his status will be updated after Wednesday's practice. ... WR Quincy Enunwa, who is out for the season with a neck injury, posted Monday on Twitter that he had a post-operation visit with his doctor earlier in the day and that his "X-ray looked really good." Underneath the tweet was a meme of Thunder guard Russell Westbrook smiling.



REPORT CARD VS. DOLPHINS

--PASSING OFFENSE: C - Josh McCown threw three touchdown passes for the first time this season and his three-touchdown pass, one-touchdown rush performance on Sunday was the first time a Jets quarterback has done that since Al Dorow in 1960 (when the team was still known as the Titans). But oh, that terrible interception on a pass that wasn't near intended target Jermaine Kearse. McCown has now thrown at least one interception four straight weeks and is tied for sixth in the league with seven picks. He was also sacked three times, bringing his total in that category to 22 for the season.

--RUSHING OFFENSE: C - Having Matt Forte, Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire all healthy for the first time since Week 3 helped, as the Jets ran for a respectable 4.2 yards per carry on 22 attempts. But after they went up 28-14, the Jets had 13 more plays and only five were rushing attempts. Part of the problem was that they were in long down-and-distances because of penalties, but all season the Jets have shown an inability to sustain drives simply by running the ball.

--PASS DEFENSE: C - The Jets continue to be boom or bust in the secondary. Two more interceptions -- the second of the season for rookie Marcus Maye and one for Muhammad Wilkerson on a tipped pass by Jamal Adams -- brings their total to eight in the last five games, a healthy number. But they allowed a season-high four passing touchdowns, two for Jay Cutler and two for Matt Moore. They also allowed a tight end to catch a touchdown pass for the third straight week, with Adams in coverage on all four. The Jets had three sacks -- Adams, Demario Davis and Josh Martin -- but still none for a defensive lineman. However, it was the best game of the season for the Jets' defensive ends -- birthday boy Wilkerson, who turned 28 on Sunday, and Leonard Williams, who had three QB hits.

--RUSH DEFENSE: A - Miami's Jay Ajayi is glad he doesn't have to face the Jets again this season, as he had only 67 yards on 34 carries (1.97 yards per attempt) in two games against them this season, including 23 for 51 yards on Sunday, with a long of 11. Tackle Steve McLendon, linebacker Darron Lee and Adams each had two tackles for a loss. Coincidentally, Adams turned 22 last Tuesday and Lee turned 23 the next day.

--SPECIAL TEAMS: B - Chandler Catanzaro didn't attempt a field goal for the first time this season, but he made all four of his extra points and is now 14-for-14 in that department. Punter Lachlan Edwards had another solid day, netting 41 yards on average for his seven punts, with two inside the 20, and punt returner Jeremy Kerley was OK with four returns for 24 yards. But rookie ArDarius Stewart again struggled on kickoff returns, returning one to the 20-yard line and the other to the 16.

--COACHING: D - The penalties, clock management mistakes and questionable play-calling the last two weeks have been too glaring to cover for the effort this team brings on a weekly basis. Things need to get cleaned up, fast.